Battlestar Galactica

"Crossroads, Part 1"

Air date: 3/18/2007
Written by Michael Taylor
Directed by Michael Rymer

Review by Jamahl Epsicokhan

It seems the second-to-last episode of a BSG season has become the slot where we get the progression of the ongoing plot, but also new developments of bizarre and disturbing ominousness.

Last season's "Lay Down Your Burdens, Part 1" had an opening teaser where Sharon sensed a cold feeling, and Tyrol suddenly awoke from a nightmare and beat Cally to unconsciousness.

First season's "Kobol's Last Gleaming, Part 1" had Sharon, who had been teetering on the brink all season, shoot herself because she thought she was about to do something terrible. She survived.

Both episodes opened with musically scored montages of crosscutting. "Crossroads, Part 1" has no such opening sequence (a shame), but it does have what might be the creepiest portending to date, because it's not in what characters say or do, but in what seems to be in their minds. Helo, by the end of the hour, is sensing the doom in the air: "Weather's changing, Felix. We need to be ready for it. There's a storm coming."

Roslin's dreams might be predicting that forthcoming storm. For the first time since the cancer, Roslin has a mysterious vision. It involves Six grabbing Hera in the ancient opera house on Kobol. Anything imagined/envisioned/prophesied at that opera house — or more accurately, Opera House — has automatic meaning in the BSG universe.

In "Crossroads" we've also finally reached the beginning of the trial of Gaius Baltar. Tory tries to push the prosecutor, Didi Cassidy (Chelah Horsdal), into charging Baltar with genocide for the original attack on the Colonies. In classic Law & Order style, the prosecutor explains that she'll try the case she can prove, not the case that the political/societal machine might want.

The trial sequences are very much in the style of contemporary TV courtroom drama like L&O. The crucial difference, of course, is that the witnesses, judges, and defendant are major characters in the larger picture, and the details of the trial involve stakes that become deeply personal as well as legal and societal.

Those proceedings begin with the opening arguments. It's worth mentioning that Cassidy's argument isn't particularly compelling. Certainly, the numbers are significant — 5,197 went dead or missing on New Caprica during Baltar's presidency — but they don't get to the heart of Baltar's guilt or innocence. Certainly not the way Lampkin's defensive argument does. His fiery attack on the "justice of the mob" is far more compelling material, delivered with far more feeling. Indeed, Lampkin's defense makes a good point about Baltar's decision to surrender to the Cylons: He simply had no choice. The only other alternative would've meant death. (Cassidy's argument might've been better had she mentioned that it was Baltar's ill-advised decision to colonize New Caprica in the first place. Of course, no one knows the truth behind the nuclear bomb that took out the Cloud Nine, which was also Baltar's fault.)

The simple fact is that no one is going to out-lawyer Lampkin. Cassidy is competent but colorless. As audience members, we already have far more invested in Lampkin as a personality. It's an interesting way of setting our sympathies; even if we are in favor of Baltar being found guilty, our attraction to Lampkin's arguments help balance the scales.

Interesting things start to happen when the witnesses testify on the stand. Tigh gets on the stand partially drunk, and his guilt over Ellen — which has been brought back to the forefront in a memorable scene between Tigh and Six in which the interrogator has unexpectedly had the psychological tables turned against him — ends up with him confessing the killing of his wife in open court. The testimony has the effect of making Tigh's bitter hatred of Baltar look completely personal and not objective.

Meanwhile, a sense of dread begins building behind the scenes. A woman visits Baltar in jail and begs him to bless her son. She's the fifth such visitor. Why does she seem to worship Baltar? And is there a significance to the fact that she's the fifth visitor?

Down at the bar, Anders can hear mysterious music in the static of a radio. So can Tigh. So can Tory. But no one else seems to hear it. At one point, Anders and Tory share a stare that's chilling in its mysteriousness. What do they have in common? Is the music a warning? A strange Cylon communication? What?

Tigh's incident on the witness stand has launched him into a drunken mess. Adama helps the poor guy into his rack, who sadly notes that he can no longer smell Ellen's scent on her clothes. Tigh has become a tragic warning of a battered life of warfare. Let me quickly add the performances of Michael Hogan should never go overlooked.

Meanwhile, Galactica's tailing Raptor learns that the Cylons have discovered how to follow them and are catching up. The theory is that a radiation leak on the tylium refinery might be traceable by the Cylons. Before fixing the radiation leak, Lee comes up with a plan to throw the Cylons off track: Send the tylium ship on a different path before rendezvousing with the fleet. It's a plan that's as smart as it is simple.

So there's a lot of percolating dread in the background. The main drive of the story, however, is Lee, and what his association with Baltar's defense is doing to his relationships with his shipmates, his father, and his wife. Following Tigh's debacle on the stand, Adama and Lee have a conversation that shows just how quickly their relationship has deteriorated since Lee joined Baltar's defense. Adama doesn't trust his son anymore, and flat-out accuses him of having leaked Tigh's secret about Ellen to Lampkin. (Ironically, the truth is that Lee didn't even know about it.) Lee resigns his post, saying he won't serve under an authority who questions his integrity. Adama accepts his resignation, saying he has no integrity. As I watched this scene, it seemed to me that Lee was practically baiting his father into this course of action. It's such a cold, cold scene between father and son that it's almost painful to watch.

Why is Lee doing this, anyway? Is it merely to stick it to the old man, as Lampkin contends? Lee thinks he may have information about Roslin that could potentially damage her testimony over Baltar's signing of the New Caprica execution order, but he's loath to share it. Lampkin essentially tells Lee that it's time to put up or shut up: Either he's really working for the defense, or he's simply acting out a charade to annoy his father. Lampkin, a brilliant strategist, knows just what buttons in Lee to push to get the right reaction.

The episode's crucial turning point comes when Lee cross-examines Roslin. Seeing Lee in a suit rather than a uniform makes for an effectively jarring little moment. Jamie Bamber's performance is finely tuned in how it reveals Lee's obvious nervousness in standing up and cross-examining the president in court. (Unlike Lampkin, he has not done this before.) The power of this scene comes in its implications. It's not merely that Roslin is forced to admit that she has resumed taking chamalla and that her cancer has returned. It's that she's forced to admit this in open court when it's an attack on her credibility — by someone who was once close to her. When she whispers to Lee, "I feel so sorry for you," you realize just how deep a hole Lee has dug for himself.

The scene shows Lee passing a point he might never recover from, burying himself in alienation. That night, Dualla leaves him. When Lee attempts to defend his behavior on behalf of "the system," she frankly says the system should be taken apart, and we realize that this trial is not simply about one man, but a possible referendum on the legal system itself (such as it is).

I love how unflappable Roslin is in the face of an inquisitive press corps. She keeps her cool, and has a sardonic wit. Reporter: "Madam president, how long do you have to live?" Roslin: "How long do you have to live, Karen?" It's a cooler head than Tory's, who calls the reporters "vultures" to their faces. Later, Roslin tells Tory to get her act together and to relearn the functions of a comb. I love these little details. Yet they still service the ominous foreboding. What's wrong with Tory, anyway? And with Tigh? And Anders?

The episode ends with Tigh alone in his quarters, hearing that song and concluding: "It's in the ship!" The scene is eerie as hell, and proves that the confident setting of tone in storytelling can sell the notion that Something Big Is Coming. Even if we didn't have Helo telling Gaeta to beware the coming storm, we'd still be getting the point. Beware.

18 comments on this review

You know, I've thought from the moment this episode aired that it was "a
four star episode if there ever was one", and for a time I thought it was
better than part two.

Lee's questioning of Roslin, her pleading for him to stop along with, and
the look in her eyes just before he makes her say she is taking chamalla
again... was just the most affecting piece of television and/or cinema I
have ever scene.

Michael Hogan's performance in this episode was also one of the series'
best, both his reaction to what Six says in the cell and his behavior in
the stand.

And, of course, I was cheering when Roslin revealed she had cancer (boy
that makes me sound to cruel out of context). Although season 3 is my
favorite seen based on its overall fluidity, the deepening involvement of
the mythos, the beginning and closing arcs, and the fact that ALL of this
flows inexorably from the New Caprica arc, it is a seen with problems. Most
of these problems are with the standalone episodes forced on Moore, but I
think the other problem has been that Roslin has had a reduced role this
season and without cancer or her Presidency-In-Jeopardy/New Caprica story,
she hasn't had much to do. Part of this, I think, is because characaters
such as Tigh, who became my favorite character this season, Starbuck, and
baltar that were most affected by New Caprica have had the most material
flowing out of the arc and thus have the most development.

The revelation that Roslin has cancer, and that she's back as a major
player now that she is once again the Dying Leader, was just one "great
plot" thread that this two parter sets up.

I'm also going to take this moment to just say the other episodes that have
ratings I disagree with:

Tigh Me Up, Tigh me Down: 2.5 (to me,a 2 isn't as enjoyable as this is)
Resurrection Ship, Part 1: 3.5
Scar: 3.5 (I did buy the foundation)
Torn: 3.5 (The Tigh-Starbuck story is first rate and the direction/style of
the episode is something I really love)
Rapture: 3.5

This was definitely an interesting episode. I thought one especially
poignant moment was that after Roslin admitted to taking Chamaala, she
wanted to continue to explain why. Lee's initial refusal really drove home
the point that justice depends on context. If he had not allowed her to
provide context, it would have been starkly unjust. What a fine line to
walk.

Maybe it's me, but just how beautiful, and dare I say it - but sexy - did
Madame President look in the Opera House? In a series with some amazingly
beautiful ladies, that scene...well, I would love her to spend time in my
office too. :-)

I hate to say this but I'm becoming very disheartened by Admiral Adama.
Here is a man who single-handedly saved the remainder of the human species,
calmly and coolly handled all of the shitstorms that arose in the aftermath
for two years, and suddenly seems to have become a hard-assed bastard who
cares more for his position of authority than the actual well-being of the
people around him. The only credit I can give this is that it largely was
foreshadowed by his 'realization' in Unfinished Business that he shouldn't
be friends with his crew. I think it's crap.

What happened to the man who stayed behind to find Starbuck at the risk of
the fleet, and said if it was Lee he'd never leave? He was simultaneously
too human to be a good commander, and the best man for the job for that
very reason. As the military man in charge of the remainder of humanity,
we saw what his soft touch was really worth when Admiral Cain appeared on
the Pegasus. He seems to have gotten his panties in a bunch because he let
people settle on New Caprica instead of remaining a hard-ass and blames
himself for their inability to defend the planet, but he only allowed a
couple of people to go based on personal feeling - obviously most people
would have been gone regardless and they would not have been any more
prepared to fight off the cylons.

This marks a significant loss of the qualities which made Adama a great and
interesting character. A man who threatens to murder Cally in cold blood
rather than listen to the concerns of some strikers is no better than
Admiral Cain.

Otherwise, a great episode, and I ultimately have to side with Lee. Baltar
is not guilty of any of the things the prosecutor claims - he did not
actively seek the deaths of anyone. He is not a murderer. He is just a
truly pathetic man.

But I really wish people would quit saying he is pathetic, I still find him
the most likable sympathetic character on the show. (Tigh is getting up
there however). Would any person have acted any differently under Baltars'
circumstances. NO. Of course not, and if they did, he would be dead. He
is a poor kid from a poor planet who became a famous scientist. It is not
his fault he was blinded by a hot blond. Come on?

Anyways, there were only 2 minor complaints I had with this episode. Daula
left Lee for his defense of Baltar?? WHAT??? He has been having an affair
for almost a year and she stays, but leaves over f-ing BALTAR? Stupid.
And I think the moment where Roslin asked lee to ask her WHY she was taking
Chamalla, Lee should have immediatly denied her request anjd dismissed her.
Anyone could see that trap she was laying.

Baltar only cares about himself. That's not a quality I find very
endearing. He may not have willingly participated in the genocide on the
colonies, but he gave a NUCLEAR WARHEAD to a known Cylon agent, which not
only ended up killing thousands but also allowed the Cylons to find New
Caprica. And although none of the characters know it, he also gave the
Cylons important information about Earth.

You don't sacrifice hundreds of lives to save your own. If doing the right
thing causes you to die, then you should die. I would do it, and I'm sure
most of us would. In my mind, he'll always be a villain. A complex and
interesting villain, but a villain nonetheless.

The prosecution made a major mistake trying to pin genocide on Baltar.
There's no way that could ever be proven.

He didn't personally kill anyone. He didn't issue orders to kill anyone of
his own free will.

He did, however, continue to preside over a puppet regime under which 12%
of the mankind was exterminated.

By staying in office following cylon occupation, he lent a human face to an
occupying regime. So long as that regime did no more than provide a civic
structure and maintain civilian infrastructure, there was nothing wrong
with that. But when that regime began implementing hostile, even
murderous, actions against your own population, he should have packed it
in.

He signed somebody's death warrant. Yes, it was under duress, but it is
inexcusable. Whether his signature actually had any weight or not, whether
the executions would have taken lace with or without his consent, whether
he had to choose between his own life or the life of even one other,
innocent human is all immaterial.

He is not guilty of genocide. He may be guilty of cowardice but that is
not a civilian crime.

He IS guilty of treason and he should hang.

Anyway, compelling viewing. Made me sit up and watch and absorb every
minute, and incited strong feelings and passion in me, which hadn't been
the case since the start of Season 3.

Although we generally agree on this show, I am curious why your negative
opinion of Baltar? I have conisistently found him the most sympathetic
character on this show, and I really don't see how anyone in his position
under the Cylons on New Caprica would have acted any bit different. Had he
done anything else he would be dead and the cylons still would have
committed their crimes. Cowardice, ?maybe? even then I don't know what he
could have done to ?save? anyone?

Further, you often mention treason, but where does this come from? Even
from the miniseries he did NOT openly aid the enemy, he let a hot chick
have "some" access to the defense mainframe, but again, that is not
treason. Again, I think this implies Baltar singlehandedly built and
maintained the colony defense mainframe, which he did not, he was a piece.
Again, six would have simply moved to her next target.

He could be charged with un-knowingly abaiting the enemy, but as for
treason, I don't get it?

You're right, I don't like Baltar. Never did. Part of it is his accent,
silly and shallow though as that sounds. Another part is his stringing
everyone along for the best part of Season 1 and then giving a cylon a
nuclear device. Not endearing. Also, he's "slippery": He always manages
to wiggle himself out of every pickle he finds himself in. Plus, he got to
rack up Six and a string of other pretty women so, yeah, I'm jealous of the
summabitch :-))))))))

But I'm looking at this from a purely legal viewpoint and my conclusion
would be the same whosever ass was on the line.

Now yes, you're right that most people would probably have instinctively
acted the same way he did on N.C., but that doesn't excuse him. He found
himself in the same situation as Gen. Petain as the head of the Vichy
government (not sure if you're familiar with that chapter of WW2).
"[C]onsciously or purposely acting to aid [one's country's] enemies" is the
definition of treason, and he did that, by staying on as president and
allowing himself to be used by the cylons as an instrument of legitimizing
the occupation. Of course that his resignation or even, in effect, suicide
would not have altered anything, but his actions were tantamount to
collaborating with the enemy. GUILTY! :D

I don't begrudge his early history, i.e. facilitating Six's access to the
defense mainframe. He had no idea she was a cylon and he could not
reasonably have, so that's not at issue at all.

On another note, the Bonnie Taylor in me is desperately searching for a
"hero," i.e. someone who's dependably positive and principled, and doesn't
turn out to be some screw-up. It used to be Adama whom I idolized but he
let me down majorly. The closest I'm thinking of is Tigh although he's a
boozer and flaky.

One question about this episode that bugs me, even if it's a minor detail
is Anders. Did I miss him enrolling to be a viper pilot in an earlier
episode or was this just revealed in this episode almost as an
afterthought?

I don't think Roslin's statement that her cancer has returned damages the
defense at all. Yeah, I mean it's great she's not just some druggie getting
her kicks with chamalla, but the side effects are what they are regardless
of why she's on the stuff and that was the important point.

I do hope Baltar is going to be found not guilty in this trial. He's a
great character, and while his list of actual crimes is incredibly long,
trying to pin New Caprica on him ... yeah, he embraced settlement as a
political ploy, but the reason it worked is because the people wanted it.
The occupation itself and the toll in lives was not preventable once that
course was decided upon.

I have to agree with others who don't think the charge of treason on the
original attack can stick on Baltar. If BSG treason is anything like U.S.
law, then wrongful intent and an overt act are needed. I don't think Baltar
meets either of the elements. However, there are certainly lesser charges
that could be proved on Baltar opening the mainframe backdoor, albeit
unintentionally. Maybe a charge where recklessness or negligence is an
element? In terms of the execution order, I am not sure if duress could be
a valid defense. My understanding is that duress is never a defense for
murder. But the defense would point out that Baltar did not commit murder
but only signed a piece of paper which was used by the Cylons to place the
blame on him. To me, this trial is not black and white, and I would
definitely not convict on treason or genocide, maybe on lesser offenses. I
don't think I even know what the specific charges are being pressed by the
prosecution.

Oh my heart broke for Colonel Tigh when he was on the stand. The actor
turned in a great performance. I am really thinking he's a Cylon. What a
horrible fate. To be one of the creatures you hate so much. Does this mean
Anders and Roslin's press secretary is one too?

I hadn't realized how attached I've become to these characters in the past
month. The scene with Lee and Roslin on the stand. How she once confided in
him. And then Roslin admitting her cancer had returned. It felt like a
punch in the gut. I am guessing Hera can't help this time.

My biggest disapointment is with Lee. He can be so idealistic AND naive --
and that's a dangerous combination. He lets Lampkin (a brillant character
by the way) lead him by the nose and ends up seriously compromising
himself. Lampkin tells him: "The system requires you to tell what you know
about Roslin". Really?
Is that why Lampkin tried to talk the Six out of testifying?
Lampkin certainly isn't above abusing the system. Lampkin is a consummate
player of the game. Lee becomes, essentially, a spy for the defense.

If Lee wants to work for the defense, fine, but he should openly announce
that fact and not be allowed access to CIC, Adama, Roslin, etc.. As is, he
ends up looking like a turncoat with a massive betrayal of trust.

(Minor spoiler)
Nice speech at the end about everyone else getting amnesty. He left out
one detail: Why didn't Baltar get amnesty? -- he was off collaborating
with the Cylons at the time (why wasn't that charged as treason?)

In the BSG universe, I think showing Roslin taking chamalla strengthens her
case. The first time she did it, she had *accurate* vision. In the world
we live in, we dismiss people with visions. But her visions came *true*.
I'm enough of a realist to acknowledge that the world is the way it is, not
the way I'd expect it to be. So, the defense has just shown that Roslin
has access (through some unknown process) to accurate information not
available to others. In any case, her testimony was about events on New
Caprica, when she *wasn't* taking chamalla.

Let's see what actual crimes we, the audience, can pin on Baltar:

Leaking classified information when he allowed Six access to the defense
mainframe. Not treason, but enough to get him locked away for a long time.
And, given the ultimate impact, I'd give him the maximum sentence
possible.

Identifying Sharon as a Cylon, then not telling anyone. That's willfully
helping the enemy. Treason

Giving Six a nuke. Treason

Helping the Cylons find the Eye of Jupiter. Treason.

He's GUILTY, even if the prosecution can't prove it.

Sympathetic? Really? Entertaining, yes, but never sympathetic. I
understand we look at fictional characters differently than real ones, but
I always try to think "if Baltar was someone I had to interact or work
with, what would my feeling be?" I'd hate the fracker.

One of my favorite lines in the whole series, one I just can't get out of
my head, is when Tigh refers to "Gaius Fracking Baltar". I can't help but
hear that every time I think of Baltar.

What's really interesting about this is the HUGE range of opinions about
Baltar. We've all seen the same things, including his inner discussions
with Six, yet our opinions of him are all over the map. It probably says
something really good about the ability of the writers to create a complex
character, but it seems to also say something disturbing about some pretty
huge differences in how we evaluate people. Would some of us look at, say,
a Charles Manson and see a sympathetic character? Would others look at an
Abraham Lincoln and only see a unscrupulous tyrant?
Why the huge range of opinions about Baltar?